Necessities

My previous posts have been mainly brainstorming and theological posts. This one is going to just be my quick list of things you need in a children's ministry and cannot compromise on. If you have other things you think your children's ministry needs, feel free to add in the comments and i will address them. I will also be uploading our church's forms and documents for you to use of your own. Please download and customize away.

Things you need:

1. An appointed leader
2. Mission Statement
3. Start Date Goal (one month, two months? Try to make a goal so you can stick to a schedule)
4. Policy and Procedure Booklet (Hardcopy and Digital copy)
5. Applications for volunteers
6. Background Checks (We use a company called Praesidium to do individual background checks)
7. Training for new volunteers
8. Sign-In for each classroom
9. Safe and clean place to hold class
10. Schedule for volunteers
11. Adequate supply of volunteers for the amount of children you currently have with room for a few visitor children.

Once you have these things in order, you are ready to go. You do not immediately need a bunch of stuff. Curriculum is not necessary to begin. It can always be implemented later. Try not to be intimidated by other church's fancy classrooms with cool painting and curriculum and playground structures. After all, they did not start there! 

Also, you are a growing individual. If God is living inside of you, then you are being sanctified and renewed day by day. Your inadequacies can be VERY apparent when a new work is beginning. Satan can use this to crush you, or you can rely on the power of Christ to make you into a new person, a leader. It takes some time, and it is painful (I am currently going through this myself!). God will accomplish His work and you will be changed into a more complete image of Him. Hold on to God!

I hope this helps!

-Sarah T.